1. GlenB's Avatar
    For eBooks I recommend Reader from untangleddev for a mere �1, a real bargain for an excellent reader.
    Buy Book Reader for EPUB and Kindle books - Download Book Reader for EPUB and Kindle books - Buy Apps from BlackBerry App World
    The developer is active on these forums and regular updates with new features.

    For me, the Playbook is the perfect size for an eBook, with the added benefit of media player and occasional web browsing.

    I've also probably watched more BBC iPlayer programmes on the Playbook than on the PC.

    As some of the previous posters have stated, its worth trying several tablets out instore, as everyones needs are different.
    JK-PhD likes this.
    12-20-11 06:58 PM
  2. Unsure2's Avatar
    Unless you really need the 7" form factor, I would not get a Playbook for your purposes. As others have said, you cannot stream Netflix, and reading .pdf's on a small screen is just too cramped. For your needs, I would recommend a 10" Android tablet, with SD card slot, USB, and HDML output. It's nice to be able to move movies and .pdf's around on an SD or USB flash drive. The Asus Transformer would be a good choice, either the old model or the just being released "Prime" model.

    The Playbook is nice--for a 7" device--but still suffers from lack of software. Also, like too many tablets, including the iPad, it has limited connectivity (no SD card slot, and its USB does not support a flash drive). It does, however, have a micro HDMI port, and plays movies very nicely on a large-screen TV. Browser works well (except will not stream Netflix), but is harder on the eyes than browsing would be on a 10" screen.
    12-20-11 06:59 PM
  3. Unsure2's Avatar
    I know the situation isn't perfect. Far from it, However, we do know that android applications are on the way, hopefully in February. If and when that finally happens I have to believe that at the $199 price point the playbook will have distinct advantages over other tablets. Being able to use both native and android applications in combination with the BlackBerry bridge, I think, is an excellent setup. If RIM are finally able to deliver I may possibly buy another playbook.



    Sent from my iPhone4s using Tapatalk
    RIM had maybe a six-month window of opportunity to popularize the Playbook and take over the 7" space, but totally blew it. We're still waiting for some basic apps that were promised long ago. With the Fire now out at a list price of $199, with every conceivable app and Amazon's huge media empire available, I'm afraid that, even if RIM delivers in February, it's still going to be playing "catch up" and at a price point that is probably unprofitable for RIM. I like the Playbook, but would not advise anyone to buy it without making sure that it works for them now, without taking into account RIMM promises regarding the future.
    12-20-11 07:06 PM
  4. rotorwrench's Avatar
    You must be either kidding or confused as to which site you are posting to. Sometimes it seems like this site is peopled by Philadelphia Eagles fans, who love their team, but who also seem to express it best through sustained booing. RIM and RIM products routinely take a pounding here.
    In regard to the "Don't trust the suggestions on this forum" post, your response, I agree, but the best thing to do is just ignore these posts. If you research you'll find they're all very similar in opinion. They most appear where advice is requested and then the bashing starts. If you respond, it just escalates. If everyone keeps to the thread, then the OP is assisted. There has been very fair and informative advice given so far, it'd be nice to keep it that way.
    Last edited by rotorwrench; 12-20-11 at 07:31 PM. Reason: Correction
    12-20-11 07:18 PM
  5. rotorwrench's Avatar
    Pdf reader works fine for my work, but I'm hoping for better support as well as editable. As previously stated also, it needs to support bookmarks or retention from last viewed page. I personally love the PB as a reader, the form factor is obvious, look at the size of dedicated readers that are so popular. I have no problems yet with Kobo and it's worked well for me, but other choices in ereader apps would be nice. I can't comment on video except for the amazing quality and screen, which is much better than our iPads. In our household, the main use of the 2 iPads is browsing, thats it. But when heading out the door, the PBs are grabbed and the iPads are left home alone and sad
    12-20-11 07:42 PM
  6. alnamvet68's Avatar
    In regard to the "Don't trust the suggestions on this forum" post, your response, I agree, but the best thing to do is just ignore these posts. If you research you'll find they're all very similar in opinion. They most appear where advice is requested and then the bashing starts. If you respond, it just escalates. If everyone keeps to the thread, then the OP is assisted. There has been very fair and informative advice given so far, it'd be nice to keep it that way.
    Yes, and appropriate and judicious use of the "mommy button", that red triangular thingy can work wonders. Notice that "Don't trust blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum..." is now banned.
    12-20-11 07:48 PM
  7. rotorwrench's Avatar
    Yes, and appropriate and judicious use of the "mommy button", that red triangular thingy can work wonders. Notice that "Don't trust blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum..." is now banned.
    Thanks, and I did a while ago.
    jafobabe likes this.
    12-20-11 07:54 PM
  8. blackjack93117's Avatar
    I'am undecided on which tablet get. Since I saw the playbook I was fascinated with its design, but I really think I would need something bigger for reading pdfs files and ebooks. My primary desires are to read pdf files, ebook, see some videos and surf the web, But I don't know wich tablet is the best suited for me. What do you think should be my decision? go for the playbook or get an android or ipad instead.?

    Thanks for your responses.
    If it's watching videos- playbook is your tool.
    Small yet very crisp sharp and bright high contrast display with excellent color rendition 16:9 aspect ration fits HD movies perfectly. - if the smalless gets to you - hold it closer to your face, or pump it out to the HDMI TV through the HDMI output.

    The front facing speakers are awesome by themselves for such a small tablet, far superior to any other tablet, but also can be pumped out to your home system for awesome audio. Home theatre in your pocket.

    People complain about he simplistic PDF reader, but if all you are doing is reading - it is just fine - swipe to turn the page - pinch zoom, pan around with your finger, what else do you need to read?

    Its not like you're going to do massive research by searching for words or bookmarking pages - this is a couch thing.....
    If you want to work, sit up straight and head to the desktop you slob! (not you OP - welcome to crackberry)

    .
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 12-20-11 at 10:10 PM.
    ralfyguy likes this.
    12-20-11 10:01 PM
  9. blackjack93117's Avatar
    Yes, and appropriate and judicious use of the "mommy button", that red triangular thingy can work wonders. Notice that "Don't trust blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum..." is now banned.

    I like to call it the tattle tail button
    12-20-11 10:09 PM
  10. blackjack93117's Avatar
    Unfortunately, it's that ecosystem that overwhelmingly determines the success or failure of the product.
    For information - that ecosystem is growing at a VERY rapid pace- you should have seen it 6 months ago!
    And we haven't even seen android apps yet!
    12-20-11 10:12 PM
  11. nimrodity's Avatar
    i have to agree what many people are telling.
    for 199$ you cant go wrong.I paid more than double and still in this price range,there isnt one 7"er which can do things better i need the pb for.
    since 6149 i doubt any tablet can compete with the browser and for all other things you really need there should be at least one acceptable app for,for the rest you should find the suitable android app.
    JK-PhD likes this.
    12-20-11 10:19 PM
  12. six6xis's Avatar
    I'am undecided on which tablet get. Since I saw the playbook I was fascinated with its design, but I really think I would need something bigger for reading pdfs files and ebooks.
    That was my initial holdout. One of the things I wanted a tablet for was to carry all of my redbooks and I was worried that reading technical PDFs on a 7 inch would be inadequate. Now that I have one I feel that my initial worry was unfounded and I think it works great. I hold my tablet in landscape mode because in portrait mode it would definitely be too small for some of the diagrams.
    12-20-11 10:19 PM
  13. Darlaten's Avatar
    People complain about he simplistic PDF reader, but if all you are doing is reading - it is just fine - swipe to turn the page - pinch zoom, pan around with your finger, what else do you need to read?

    Its not like you're going to do massive research by searching for words or bookmarking pages - this is a couch thing.....
    If you want to work, sit up straight and head to the desktop you slob! (not you OP - welcome to crackberry)

    .
    You and I strongly disagree on the usefulness of the PDF reader. While I agree with you that reading "simple" pdf articles is alright - and "simple" I define as something less than 10 pages and consisting solely of text - reading anything more complex/larger/graphically is simply painful to the point of being useless.

    Case in point, I use the pdf reader to read all of my journal articles - academic articles. These are fine on the current pdf reader as these are relatively small in size and consist soley of text and the odd graphs in black and white.

    However, the usefulness of the pdf reader ends there. Try putting a Brady Game Guide, i.e., for White Knights Chronicles. It is a large file with the whole thing in colour and tons of pictures. Will the pdf reader open it? Yes. But there the functionality falls apart - the reader is simply unable to handle this type of file. It is too slow and takes forever to advance to the next page let alone jump ahead by 200 pages.

    Another example; the DSM-IV-TR is available as a pdf. At roughly 600 pages of text, the pdf reader is horrible. And given that this is a resource/reference book, the ability to search for specific terms, i.e., Schizoaffective Disorder, is of paramount importance.

    So yes, if you want to only read 2 page documents; then I'm sure your happy. If you want to do anything more "real" with it, the pdf reader is useless.
    12-20-11 10:20 PM
  14. blackburberry's Avatar
    Welcome to the forum BlackJack! Are you a new member here?
    12-20-11 10:24 PM
  15. rotorwrench's Avatar
    For information - that ecosystem is growing at a VERY rapid pace- you should have seen it 6 months ago!
    And we haven't even seen android apps yet!
    Exactly! I just found out on the app forum that we now have Citrix 1.0 !! The negatives just keep dropping ! My company will be ecstatic. Patience will prove the PB to be an even better business tool than it already is. I'm telling you, it's just getting better.
    Chaddface and ralfyguy like this.
    12-20-11 10:31 PM
  16. conix67's Avatar
    For information - that ecosystem is growing at a VERY rapid pace- you should have seen it 6 months ago!
    And we haven't even seen android apps yet!
    Prove it. Don't throw number of apps in App World.

    Recent article on Globe and Mail featured App development at Ebay. Hundreds of engineers for iOS, another hundred for Android, a couple of them for all BlackBerry products. Unfortunately hard truth is that RIM is not getting App support from third party.

    By the way, some Android apps are already posted on App World.

    This forum is full of misinformation.
    12-20-11 10:47 PM
  17. barskin's Avatar
    Yes, and appropriate and judicious use of the "mommy button", that red triangular thingy can work wonders. Notice that "Don't trust blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum..." is now banned.
    rotorwrench and Chaddface like this.
    12-20-11 10:52 PM
  18. Optimus82's Avatar
    On a completely unreleated point. Did anyone see that the Sony Tablet S received an upgrade that now allows a PS3 joystic to connect to the tablet so that you can play Playstation games using the joystick instead of touch screens. Very cool I think. Made me actually look at a Sony Tablet S today
    all android tablets running honeycomb support game controllers. some but not all android games work with controllers.. if more game developers take advantage of this, it would be a like a portable gaming console.

    i know ps3 dual shock and wired xbox 360 controllers work.

    even better experience when hooking it up to hdtv through hdmi
    12-20-11 10:58 PM
  19. barskin's Avatar
    actually, watching videos on it is pretty horrible because it lacks more codec support. i can actually play more videos on my iOS device because at least there are multiple free video players that can decode video AND audio correctly. half of my videos i just loaded on my playbook play without sound at all. its useless.

    seriously? you think bookmarking/search isn't necessary in a PDF reader? you obviously don't read much.
    I have mentioned this before, but let me say it again. I have nothing against iPads or Androids or the people who use and enjoy them. I prefer my PlayBook for several reasons, but that's me. I wouldn't mind, I might add, having a Android 3.2 if my budget allowed it in addition to my other devices, but it doesn't. Well, luckily, I love my PlayBook. Is it perfect? God no. Neither are the other tablets on the market. I expect RIM to hold to their commitment to make improvements, and I am quite willing to speak up in criticism if they do not seem to be making good on their promise. I am will make any suggestions for what it would take to make me happier. However, your knee **** negativity toward everything and anything to do with the PlayBook is tiresome, and, as far as I can see, serves no constructive purpose. Much worse though is your propensity to make snide, insulting remarks aimed at anyone who has anything positive to say. Why are you here is you have no respect for the people who take part in this discussion. Is there a point at all to your participation?
    Chaddface, ralfyguy and jafobabe like this.
    12-20-11 11:36 PM
  20. conix67's Avatar
    I have mentioned this before, but let me say it again. I have nothing against iPads or Androids or the people who use and enjoy them. I prefer my PlayBook for several reasons, but that's me. I wouldn't mind, I might add, having a Android 3.2 if my budget allowed it in addition to my other devices, but it doesn't. Well, luckily, I love my PlayBook. Is it perfect? God no. Neither are the other tablets on the market. I expect RIM to hold to their commitment to make improvements, and I am quite willing to speak up in criticism if they do not seem to be making good on their promise. I am will make any suggestions for what it would take to make me happier. However, your knee **** negativity toward everything and anything to do with the PlayBook is tiresome, and, as far as I can see, serves no constructive purpose. Much worse though is your propensity to make snide, insulting remarks aimed at anyone who has anything positive to say. Why are you here is you have no respect for the people who take part in this discussion. Is there a point at all to your participation?
    I have nothing against PB, I love my PB, but truth is that while the code support is better than many others, still lacking and you need to convert many videos to make it watchable.

    Negative or positive, one should not be held against telling others the fact.

    It is tiresome to read people relentlessly defending RIM products by telling others how much he/she loves RIM products. That's fine, but don't try to force that upon others.

    Other than the browser, apps that come with PB are seriously lacking. PDF viewer, YouTube App, etc are all too basic and lack useful features people expect from them. It is no one else but RIM to blame for these short comings.

    I sure hope that RIM improves PB, which will benefit myself and others in the end. We'll see when that comes, until then what one believes RIM will do doesn't really matter.
    12-20-11 11:59 PM
  21. barskin's Avatar
    I have nothing against PB, I love my PB, but truth is that while the code support is better than many others, still lacking and you need to convert many videos to make it watchable.

    Negative or positive, one should not be held against telling others the fact.

    It is tiresome to read people relentlessly defending RIM products by telling others how much he/she loves RIM products. That's fine, but don't try to force that upon others.

    Other than the browser, apps that come with PB are seriously lacking. PDF viewer, YouTube App, etc are all too basic and lack useful features people expect from them. It is no one else but RIM to blame for these short comings.

    I sure hope that RIM improves PB, which will benefit myself and others in the end. We'll see when that comes, until then what one believes RIM will do doesn't really matter.
    Well, I believe there is a big difference between discussing what we would like to see be improved and expressions of nothing but wholesale revulsion at everything and anything to do with the PlayBook. And it's entirely different from the automatic hurling of snide insults at anyone who dares say anything positive (e.g. "you obviously don't read very much.").
    jafobabe and rotorwrench like this.
    12-21-11 12:15 AM
  22. blackjack93117's Avatar
    For information - that ecosystem is growing at a VERY rapid pace- you should have seen it 6 months ago!
    And we haven't even seen android apps yet!
    Prove it. Don't throw number of apps in App World.

    Recent article on Globe and Mail featured App development at Ebay. Hundreds of engineers for iOS, another hundred for Android, a couple of them for all BlackBerry products. Unfortunately hard truth is that RIM is not getting App support from third party.

    By the way, some Android apps are already posted on App World.

    This forum is full of misinformation.
    Prove it isn't. I try not to waste much time with the ill-informed or ignorant anymore-

    My Statement was not a comparison to the superpads. It was a statement about app growth on PLAYBOOK over time.
    jafobabe likes this.
    12-21-11 12:31 AM
  23. blackjack93117's Avatar
    You and I strongly disagree on the usefulness of the PDF reader. While I agree with you that reading "simple" pdf articles is alright - and "simple" I define as something less than 10 pages and consisting solely of text - reading anything more complex/larger/graphically is simply painful to the point of being useless.

    Case in point, I use the pdf reader to read all of my journal articles - academic articles. These are fine on the current pdf reader as these are relatively small in size and consist soley of text and the odd graphs in black and white.

    However, the usefulness of the pdf reader ends there. Try putting a Brady Game Guide, i.e., for White Knights Chronicles. It is a large file with the whole thing in colour and tons of pictures. Will the pdf reader open it? Yes. But there the functionality falls apart - the reader is simply unable to handle this type of file. It is too slow and takes forever to advance to the next page let alone jump ahead by 200 pages.

    Another example; the DSM-IV-TR is available as a pdf. At roughly 600 pages of text, the pdf reader is horrible. And given that this is a resource/reference book, the ability to search for specific terms, i.e., Schizoaffective Disorder, is of paramount importance.

    So yes, if you want to only read 2 page documents; then I'm sure your happy. If you want to do anything more "real" with it, the pdf reader is useless.
    I wont disagree with you I'm sure it has its limits. But please don't grossly exaggerate -

    Here is a typical technical document I refer to. 3510 pages -It is real.

    http://www.ti.com/lit/ug/spruf98u/spruf98u.pdf

    Download it and see if your two page declaration of usefulness holds up - I could and have gone bigger but this is the best I have time for right now. It is fast and responsive - changing pages, pinch zooming what have you.

    Granted it is not graphic intensive. But 2 pages? Useless? Please.
    Perhaps useless for you - don't make judgements for others.

    .
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 12-21-11 at 12:54 AM.
    12-21-11 12:49 AM
  24. lynntarbox's Avatar
    and this thread is pretty much the definition of whats wrong with the playbook. complacent fanboys who try to spin an obvious negative (a pdf reader with NO basic functionality whatsoever) as an actual GOOD thing.

    so you're fine with opening up a 3000+ document and having no real bookmark ability whatsoever? this wouldn't be acceptable on ANY platform, not just specifically the oh so unfairly targeted playbook.
    12-21-11 02:03 AM
  25. blackjack93117's Avatar
    and this thread is pretty much the definition of whats wrong with the playbook. complacent fanboys who try to spin an obvious negative (a pdf reader with NO basic functionality whatsoever) as an actual GOOD thing.

    so you're fine with opening up a 3000+ document and having no real bookmark ability whatsoever? this wouldn't be acceptable on ANY platform, not just specifically the oh so unfairly targeted playbook.
    Not a single problem - there's this thing in front of the document, if you look closely, called a table of contents - it has page numbers. And another thing, if you swipe down from the top? It brings up this slider thing at the bottom that takes you the page you want. Pure genius.

    I also have this thing called a pencil for writing down page numbers if I really really want to remember them.

    It's really not a problem for me. Other questions?
    *yawn*
    ralfyguy likes this.
    12-21-11 02:16 AM
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